Guard for hacksaws.



G. A. HOWELL.

GUARD FOR HACKSAWS.

APPLIOATION FILLED 001211. 1912.

1,100,305, I Patented June 16, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERALD A. HOWELL, 0F ITHACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. C. ATKINS AND COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A. CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

GUARD FOR HACKSAWS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERALD A. I-Iownrm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ithaca, Tompkins county, and State of New York, have invented and discovered certaln new and useful Improvements in Guards for Hacksaws, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to guards for hacksaws and its object is to provide means of a simple and effective character such as may be readily attached to and detached from the frame of the saw, for enabling the operator to apply greater pressure and accelerate the cutting action of the saw, as well as for protecting the hand from contact with the upper edge of the saw blade or w1t h the forward part of the frame when applied to the front part of the saw for the purpose of guiding the same in its movements and forcing it into the work.

With these objects and others in View, my invention is embodied in preferable form in the device hereinafter designed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of a hack saw with one form of my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a horizontal detail section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical detail section at right angles to Fig. 1 on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical detail section on line 4-& of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a detail side View in elevation of the front part of the saw showing a modified form of guard applied to the saw; Fig. 6, a detail horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a view similar to Fig. 6, but showing a different saw blade engaging slot of the guard in engagement with the saw; Fig. 8, a detail top plan of the guard shown in Figs. 5, and 7 removed from the saw; and Fig. 9, a bottom plan view of this latter form of guard.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the frame of the saw having a front arm 2, to which is attached the forward end of the saw blade 3. Ordinarily in operating a saw of this type, the handle of the saw is grasped by one hand of the operator while the thumb of the other hand is placed against the inner surface of the forward part of the saw at the junction of the front arm 2 and the saw blade for the purpose of assisting in pushing the saw forward and for the purpose of steadying the saw so as to keep it level. The pres- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 11, 1912.

Patented June 16, 1914;. Serial No. 725,138.

sure of the thumb or other part of the hand against the sharp upper edge of the saw and the adjacent edges of the end of the saw blade and the front arm of the frame is painful and sometimes injurious and it is the purpose of my invention to obviate this obectlon.

In the form of device shown in Figs. 1 to 4: inclusive, a curved pressure-receiving member at is provided, having a wide flat inner surface and curved or at its forward part so as to cover the lower part of the front arm 2 of the frame and extend slightly upward along said arm. This member is also curved downwardly and rearwardly so as to bear against the upper edge of the saw blade and its under surface is provided with a longitudinal kerf or slot 5, which is adapted to fit the upper edge of the saw blade, whereby the member 4 may be properly positioned on the blade and held against lateral movement. The forward end of the member 4 is provided with an ear 6, having a hole therein adapted to receive a pivot projecting from a clamp member 7 whereby the clamp and pressurereceiving member are pivotally connected. The clamp comprises preferably a single forked-piece of metal having arms 8 separated at their front ends, and adapted to embrace the front arm 2 of the frame of the haclcsaw. These arms are slightly resilient and are adapted to be clamped against the arm 2 by means of a locking screw 9 passing through the end of the arms 88, whereby the guard may be firmly but detachably secured to the frame.

In the use of the above device, the curved member 4 is placed on the saw' blade with its slot engagin the latter and so that its arms 8 will em race the front arm of the saw and the device is then clamped on the frame. The wide curved surface provided by the member 4 affords a comfortable hearing surface for the thumb of the forward hand of the operator, protecting the same against contact with the upper sharp edge of the blade and the front arm of the frame.

In the form of device shown in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive, a curved pressure-receiving or grip member 10 similar to the member 1, is provided, which has two integral rigid arms 11, 12 separated at their ends and which are adapted to embrace the front arm 15 of the hack-saw frame. This member has two bent upwardly longitudinal slots 13, 14. in its under surface, one on each side of the central line of the member. Either of these slots is adapted to be engaged with the saw blade.

By the eccentric arrangement of the slots, When either of said slots is engaged with the saw blade, the arm on the opposite side of the guard member will be forced against the front arm 15 of the frame at an angle to the length of the blade, and to the frame, thus wedging or binding the guard member against the frame. Thus if the slot 14: is engaged with the blade as seen in Fig. 6, the opposite armll of the guard member will be forced against the front arm of the frame'and if the slot 13 be utilized for the engagement of guard and blade, as shown in Fig. 7, then the guard member arm 12 Will be wedged against the frame. Either slot may be used, according to the position in which it is desired to place the guard for the convenience of engagement by the hand of the operator. The wedging action afforded by the angle at Which the guard arm engages the frame is sufficient to hold the guard in operative position while at the same time the ready removal of the guard is permitted.

It is clear that various changes in the details of construction of the device withm the scope of the appended claims, may be made Without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,

l. A hand guard for hack-saws comprising a rigid member formed to support a portion of the hand and extend over the juncture of the blade and the front end of the frame, and means for attaching the same removably and adjustably to a portion of the hack-saw structure adjacent said juncture of the blade and the front end of the frame in a position to receive the pressure of the hand in the operation of the saw, substantially as set forth.

2. A hand guard for hack-saws consisting of a curved member having means of detachable engagement with the structure adjacent to the junction of the blade and front end of the frame and having a back formed to receive the pressure of the hand, substantially as described.

3. A hand guard for hack-saws consisting of a member having on one side a bearing surface for the hand of the operator and having a slot on its other side operable to engage the saw blade and having means to engage the front arm of the frame, substantially as described.

4. A hand guard for hack-saws consisting of a curved member having a concave bearing surface and a slotted convex surface adapted to bear against the saw blade and saw frame adjacent to their junction said blade being adapted to enter the slot, and means to detachably clamp the member against the frame of the saw, substantially as described.

5. A hand guard for hack-saws consisting of a member formed to fit against the frame and blade of the saw adjacent their front junction; said member having means of detachable engagement with said blade, a forked clamp operable to embrace a portion of the frame and a screw for locking said clamp against the frame, substantially as described.

6. A hand guard for hack-saws comprising a member having an inner bearing surface and an outer surface, provided with means to engage the saw blade, a clamp adapted to engage a portion of the frame above the blade, and means of pivotal engagement between the clamp and member, substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Ithaca, Tompkins county, New York, this 5th day of October. A. D. nineteen hundred and twelve.

It. s.]

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

